Kozuke Samurai
The glaring sunlight rides down the length of his long curved blade. The weight of it balances off the end of his arm, dancing there like a thing possessing a will of its own, throwing itself up, down and across in swift and deadly strokes. The young samurai’s body twists and flows, leaps and dives, whirling about in a warrior’s frenzy. One enemy after another falls, outmatched by the superior skill of the Kozuke.The sun falls low on the horizon, bathing the landscape in its red glow. Exhausted and outnumbered, the Kozuke fight on. Their adversary closes them in, trapping them between the points of arrows drawn tight on their strings, and a steep drop into churning waters. The bowstrings twang and the Kozuke let themselves fall backwards, giving their lives to the waters below rather than allowing themselves be taken by their enemy. Falling out of Earth’s timeline the Kozuke enter a new world. Here on the battlefields of Valhalla, their fight continues on. Stats *Life: 1 *Move: 5 *Range: 1 *Attack: 5 *Defense: 3 *Point Value: 100 *Figures Per Squad: 3 Abilities *'Charging Assault': Any or all Kozuke Samurai may add 3 to their Move number as long as they are unengaged prior to moving. Kozuke Samurai must be able to move adjacent to an opponent’s figure in order to use Charging Assault. *'Counter Strike': When rolling defense dice against a normal attack from an adjacent attacking figure, all excess shields count as unblockable hits on the attacking figure. This power does not work against other Samurai. Synergy *Hatamoto Taro: Heroic Defense Aura As Samurai, Kozuke Samurai may benefit from Hatamoto Taro’s Heroic Defense Aura ability. *Kato Katsuro: Kato Katsuro's Command As a Samurai Squad, the Kozuke Samurai may benifit from Kato Katsuro's Command ability. *Sacred Band: Disciplined Army Defense Bonus Having a Disciplined personality, Kozuke Samurai are compatible with the Sacred Band's Disciplined Army Defense Bonus. Behind the Game Kōzuke Province was an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kōzuke" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 568 It is nicknamed Jōshū or Jōmō. The ancient provincial capital of Takasaki was near modern Maebashi. During the Sengoku Period, Kōzuke was controlled variously by Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, the late Hōjō clan, and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Bonus Movement Using Charging Assault When using Charging Assault, can the Samurai’s movement be enhanced by anything like roads, or auras to increase the amount of spaces it can move? Yes. This ability is enhancing the base movement of the card, which may also be enhanced by things like Glyphs, Auras, or special terrain. (Hasbro FAQ) Ending Turn Adjacent to Opponent If I use Charging Assault and am able to move adjacent to an enemy figure, can I still move +3 spaces if I don’t end adjacent to that enemy? In order to use Charging Assault, you MUST end your turn adjacent to an opponent. Strategy The Kozuke Samurai are Einar's heavy and swift hitters. Their basic attack is the highest of all Samurai, and their Charging Assault allows you to quickly surround your target with a move of eight, plus any movement bonuses you may have (Road, move glyph). These figures are best used as an anti-hero unit. You can surround the hero quickly, and whittle away at him with several high-powered attacks. This is a good tactic to use against heroes with auras, such as Raelin or Taelord. Although their attack is high, their defense is also the lowest of all the Samurai. As with all other Samurai, boost their defense with auras, glyphs, and height. In an all-samurai army, these are your first line. They rush in and disrupt your opponent's plan. Follow up by using the Izumi Samurai and afterwards the Tagawa Samurai. As with all samurai armies, draft Kato Katsuro, since he gives you options. The Tagawa Samurai Archers give you cover fire. Using the Izumi and the Tagawa (Melee) to block your opponent, fire at them with the archers and Kaemon Awa. Protect Kato if at all possible. Raelin the Kyrie Warrior is always nice with any samurai. If you have the points, Hatamoto Taro makes these figure's counterstrike deadly, and coupled with Raelin, they last longer and have a deadly counterstrike of 5 dice and a 50% chance of hitting. That's the same odds as rolling skulls, but unblockable! References Category:Einar Category:Human Category:Unique Squad Category:Thora's Vengeance